The Morning After
by apgov
Summary: Brass goes out of town to track down a suspect
1. Default Chapter

Jim Brass woke with the sun in his eyes, pounding head and little memory of the night before. The detective did not find this situation agreeable. Raising his arm to block the sun, he brushed the woman next to him in the bed. She shifted under the covers, brushing her bare leg against his thighs. Jim realized that he was nude.

It was obvious he was in a hotel room, a suite. He could see through the bedroom door into a sitting room. The pounding in his head began to worsen. Opening his eyes a litter wider made the pounding more intense. Slightly raising on his elbows he looked around the room. As the room came into focus, so did the night before. Clothing was scattered in the room and he could see piles of clothing on the sitting room floor. The upturned champagne bottle in the ice bucket and the empties on the side tables, defined the reason fro the headache, dry mouth and nausea. This sensation was one of the reasons he had stopped drinking years ago.

"Oh Shit" he murmured.

The woman rolled over and curled up next to him, her body warm. Jim looked over at the woman and recognized the dark head on the pillow next to him.

"Oh shit" he thought , "Not my greatest moment."

Raising father on his elbows he saw his holster and gun on a chair in the sitting room. There was another on the coffee table in front of the couch. With each new detail he saw, the days before flashed and became more clear in his brain.

A FEW DAYS BEFORE

Jim Brass walked into the convenience store.

"Okay, fill me in." Jim said to the first officer on the scene.

"The dead guy is a customer. We got a witness that saw everything from his car."

"I better see him first." Jim shook his head as he looked at the DB. "What a waste."

He strolled to the area the where the witness stood. It was a kid, a teenager. A skinny boy bout seventeen.

"What did you see." Brass asked almost whispering. This kid was in shock. Jim didn't want to spook him anymore than necessary.

"I was pulling up to get gas. I heard a gunshot and saw the guy come out the door with a women. He pointed the gun at me and pushed me down by the gas pumps. He got in my car. He was gonna shoot me but the woman started screaming and he just drove off. If she hadn't started screaming I'd be dead."

"Get the make and model of the car, put out an APB." Brass directed the officer with the kid. "And get someone here to check this kid out. He's in shock. Call his parents."

Jim waited knowing Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle would show up eventually. He made sure no one went into the convenience store. He hoped the APB would help, but the store clerk was probley dead already. He dialed the number on the door of the store. A hand written sign was taped to the door. "If I can be of any help call :" and a local number was listed with the name Cowboy Harvey, owner."

After a few rings a man answered.

"Howdy?"

"Well, Howdy partner. Are you the owner of the Cowboy Connivance Store out on 10?" Brass chuckled into the phone.

"That's me partner, how can I helped you?"

"Well we've had a little shoot out at your corral, I need you to come on down." Brass closed his phone.

Gil ,and to Jim's disappointment, Greg arrived. He had hoped Sara would be helping with this case.

"Did you know that other than a police officer, the most dangerous job in the United States was convenience store clerk?" Gil asked to no one in particular. Brass just grunted, used to Gils random musings.

The area around the gas pumps had been taped off, but the first place Gil headed was the building. He left Greg to the kid and the pumps. Greg took trace samples from the kids clothing and hair. He than began to photograph the pump area. This was grunt work and Greg knew it. He couldn't hurry his work, but he wanted to be inside with Grissom.

"We got any tape on this one?" Gil asked and Jim pointed to the security camera and shrugged.

"You know how these places are maybe, maybe not. I've called the owner. We can get tape then."

The body was in the aisle near the counter. One shot to the head at point blank range. The man didn't know what hit him. He had his wallet in one hand and a drink in the other. Jim picked up the wallet with a gloved hand.

Flipping it open " Walter Harris. 34. From Henderson. Picture of a women. Condom in the wallet. Looks like its been there a while. Fifty dollars. The perp didn't stop to rob him. He didn't kill the kid. I gonna bet you he wanted the woman."

Gil photographed the body and the scene around it. Greg walked in and Gil instructed him to dust for prints, especially the door handle , inside and out and the counter.

A rather large potbellied man in a cowboy hat cam barreling through the door. Brass stopped him before he violated the scene and walked him back outside.

"You must be the owner. We need to talk"

"What has happened her?" He looked from Brass to Gil to the body on the floor. " What can I do, where is Nancy?"

"The store clerk, Nancy. Tell me about her." Brass asked as Cowboy sat on a bench by the front door.

"She had switched shifts with the normal night shift clerk, David Curry." The man looked truly stricken.

"You got security tape? We need it, and if you can we need all the employees to come down to the station for fingerprinting."

"No problem, anything for Nancy. What happened?"

"The shooter kidnapped her, killed a bystander anything you can tell us will help find her." Brass held out little hope for this scenario.

"Can I post some sort of reward? Would that help?" The big man looked about to cry.

"Just get us the tape first"

As it turned out the convenience store had two tapes one over the counter and one in the back room. This would be of great value. Cowboy was watching the front for security and the back to make sure his employees would stay in line.

Brass's phone rang. It was a deputy from the sheriff's department. When he hung up he went into the store.

"Gil they've found the car. The women's body is near it. Another body was found, too, apparently the guy hijacked another vehicle. I'm gonna check it out. "

Gil opened his phone, "Sara I need you on a scene on 10 between Henderson and Las Vegas."

Brass drove to the new crime scene. The women was in the grass. She her clothes were torn and ripped. Brass knew a rape when he saw one. The other body was a man. Shot in the head , just like the man in the store.

Brass got on his radio and told dispatch to alert all units that an unknown man was on 10 headed east. Armed and dangerous. Three victims , approach with caution. He used his handkerchief to pull the wallet out of the man's pocket. Brass radioed the man's name to dispatch was able to get a description of the car to add to the APB.

Sara Sidle arrived on the scene. Brass came forward to help he with her heavy kit. Sara accepted his help without comment. She sniffed the air.

"Smell's like rain." she said

" I thought the same thing. We need to have the car hauled in then and I'll call for a wagon for the bodies."

"I'll work the scene until they get here."

" You had the night off? You okay being called in tonight?" Jim asked looking across the field toward the woman's body. He worried about Sara. She could be so tough and then turn on a dime and be fragile. He knew this case would throw her. The rape cases always did.

"Lot's of questions. I'm fine. I was at the movies." she smiled

"Hot Date?" He tried not to sound to interested

"Something like that." she knew she should let him know that she'd been out with Laura Hall a social worker she knew. It amused her to think he was so protective of her. She likes working cases with Brass. His "take names and ask questions later approach" was reassuring.

THE NEXT MORNING

Back at his office, Brass rubbed his chin. He needed a shave. Gazing at the folder in his hands he knew he would have to buy a plane ticket. Greg had lifted the prints that identified the murderer. Perry Hart was a drifter. He had started robbing stores in California, petty thief. Usually never stole more than five hundred dollars and he never killed anyone. He had one conviction for rape in Arizona, he served 16 months. The killing had started in Nevada. Perry was overwhelmed with the customer and the kid at the pump. The tape had clearly shown that .

Perry drug the woman out of the store, raped her and hijacked a car. The owner of the car had won big in Vegas there had been cash in the car. The car had been found abandoned at the airport. Perry had slipped though and had flown east. Airport security had records that indicate he had bought a ticket for New Orleans. Brass was very unhappy that Perry Hart had been so fortunate in his town.

Jim called the New Orleans PD and they had a rap sheet on Perry Hart. Mostly juvenile stuff, expunged when he had turned 18. He had a sister in the city. The NOPD agreed to help round him up and get him back to Vegas.

Brass walked to Gil's office.

"The convenience store perp? He's on the run. He's in New Orleans. I been on the horn with their guys. I'm on the next flight out. I need to take someone with me that knows the case. Can you spare Sara?"

"Fine, by me." Gil turned his attention to the paperwork on his desk .


	2. do you like it hot and dry or hot and we...

Arriving in New Orleans in September, Jim and Sara were not prepared for the climate. Las Vegas was hot, but New Orleans was tropical. The crime, the vice and the tourist could make the two cities sisters. Las Vegas was the pretty, hot younger sister, washed clean by the sun each day and dried by the desert wind each night. New Orleans was her, blowsy older sister, stuck and stagnated under sea level. Vegas burned bright,a child of the 20th century, while New Orleans lived in the luxury and decadence of the 18th century.

Having checked in with their counterparts in the New Orleans Police Department, the duo was assigned a detective. Brass recognized this type of PD. It brought back memories of his experience in Jersey. He knew that the NOPD at one time had been one of the most corrupt in the nation. The new chief had made some headway in improving it, but Jim still felt weary of these cops.

The perp had not killed anyone in New Orleans, but since his violence level had escalated, Brass wanted to get him back to Nevada. He did not want the Feds or the NOPD to put up much of a fuss about their presence. The NOPD had traced Perry Hart to his sisters house near the river off Magazine Street. This was a seedy section of New Orleans with row houses lining the street. The pavement was cracked and weeds grew through the pavement.

A rookie detectives had been assigned to Jim and Sara. She made it obvious that she was not happy with the assignment. She was polite but distant and professional. Their meeting was formal and held in the basement parking garage of the police station that served this area of New Orleans.

"You must be Brass and Sidle" she said as she approached

"Officer Bonham?" Brass said and extended his hand.

"Detective. Detective Kate Bonham" she corrected.

"Sorry, I'm Jim Brass and this is Sara Sidle, she's assisting on this case."

"Crime Scene Investigation" Sara added to Jim's introduction

"Nice to meet you." She looked at Sara from head to toe. "Do you have any street experience? If we run into this guy can you handle yourself?"

"She can handle herself" Brass interjected. He knew Sara would bust his balls about this later, but he could take it.

Sara had been wondering why Brass had asked her to help with his assignment. He had told her she would be needed to help pull the evidence together if Perry killed in this jurisdiction. Taking up for her with this stranger was maddening. He knew she could take up for herself.

"I'll drive" Bonham said, Brass rode shotgun and Sara was regulated to the back seat.

Brass looked back at Sara and grinned. Her pissed looked told him more than her words could say.

Det. Bonham saw the look in the rearview as she backed the unmarked car out of the space and pulled into the street. She knew this detective had a thing for the young woman in the back seat . Bonham could also tell Sara Sidle had no idea. The car pulled into the sun and Kate cranked the AC up to high.

They pulled thought the rough neighborhood andparked down the street from the address. Thisgave Jim a chance to observe the area.

Before Sara got out of the car, Kate turned around and asked. "Are you packing?"

Sara gave her the same "go to hell" look, Jim had been graced with and pulled back her jacket to revel her weapon.

"Good" Bonham nodded.

The heat and humidity was almost unbearable. Brass felt like he was walking through water. He wondered how people could stand this weather. Sara was having the same reaction. She was regretting the jacket she had pulled on to hid her gun. Kate did not seem to notice the heat.

"If I am going to be here long, I will need a new wardrobe." Sara said.

"It's only 80, it gets hotter in Vegas, right?" Kate said.

"Yeah, But its only dry heat" Sara replied.

"Oh, there's a difference?" Kate laughed and turned to Jim.

"I'll take hot and dry over hot and wet any day." Jim added, rubbing his brow with his handkerchief.

Kate stopped and turned and laughed. Jim realized how his words sounded.

"Maybe I should rephrase that." he laughed.

Sara didn't not like the pang of jealously she felt over this little exchange. Sara wondered why she even cared. Sara looked at Jim laughing with Bonham. His eyes were crinkled and twinkling in a naughty way, she had never noticed. Sara shook her head to clear it. It had to be the heat.


	3. sara feels something new

The neighborhood was low class, the closer you got to the river the rougher the neighborhood became. Just blocks north in the Garden district were some of the most beautiful homes in the city. The cops passed a garage of men sitting on upturned paint cans playing cards. The men stared at the trio. A woman with a basket tried to sell them pralines, but backed off when Bonham flashed her badge.

Bonham knocked on the door. A small black woman appeared at the door.

"Yeah?"

"I'm Det. Bonham, this is Det. Brass and Sidle. We need to talk to Perry, he here." Kate sad this peering around the woman.

"He's not here and I ain't seen him."

"Look, we know he's in town and we know he's got some cash. Where would he be?"

The woman seemed weary and sighed. "He'd be at Sally's in the quarter. Anytime he come's home and got some money, He'll go to Sally's. Shacks up down there for days."

"Thanks." Kate said as the woman shut the door in her face.

"That's it?" Sara was incredulous.

"He's at Sally's"

"Who is Sally?" Sara asked.

"Not who. What. Sally's is a whore house on the edge of the French Quarter. Low class, perfect for your guy. Epically if he had some cash. They can keep him busy there until he's broke."

"Prostitution is legal here?" Sara asked. She was beginning to dislike this city more and more.

Bonham grinned. "No, this isn't Nevada, but if you're here long enough you find out things. A blind eye is turned to a lot, but being from Vegas, I'd think you would be used to that."

"No, I am not used to the police "turning a blind eye" to crime and prostitution…." Sara was raising to the bait Bonham was casting. Jim could see that Bonham was enjoying Sara's discomfort.

"Let's get down to this Sally's and check it out." Brass suggested. The women turned and looked at him.

"I think the sister might contact him. I've had guys here all morning, let me send them over to Sally's to keep an eye on the place." She walked back to the car and as she did two of the men from the garage joined her by the car.

"Get to Sally's make sure the guy doesn't leave, if he does detain him and call me. Ask around. The usual." Kate dismissed the men. "Let's get lunch. We can grab a bite a few blocks away from Sally's"

"Lunch? Why don't was just go get the guy?" Brass asked.

"First, we get a lot of info from Sally's girls and I am not busting in there unless it is absolutely necessary. Second, my contact for some info on this case in a café. This is my town I know how it works, trust me." she winked at Brass as she said this enjoying how it made Sara's face flush.

The café was dark and cool, with very few tables. Bonham seemed to know everyone in the place.

"Cop joint?" Brass asked pulling a chair out for Sara.

"Family Place, my dad's" Kate said as she walked to the bar and pointed at the table. She returned with three sweating glasses with brown liquid and ice.

"Sweat Tea, beer is better on a day like today, but duty calls." She took the glasses off the tray like an expert.

"You know what you're doing, barkeep." laughed Jim as he took a sip.

"I worked my way through law school in this joint." she returned to the bar.

"Law school, I wonder why she's a detective?" Sara remarked

"I don't know, why would someone with an education choose such a lowly career?" he said. Sara looked at him over her menu. Jim was smiling at her and she knew he was kidding. She started to laugh too.

"Sorry, insensitive remark" She smiled. "Jim, you're one of the most brilliant men I know."

"Let's see, how many men do you know?" she could have sworn he leered at her. She glanced at her menu to cover her blush.

Kate was carrying on an animated, but quite conversation with someone at the bar. She had taken her jacket and holster off and handed to an older man. He stowed it behind the bar. Jim noticed she was well built. Not too tall. Athletic, khaki pants, white tee shirt and when she turned he noticed her breasts. He watched her walk back to the table appreciatively. Her eyes met his and he quickly lowered them to his menu. Kate had noticed, but she was used to the glances. You didn't get to be a female detective in a major American city without a little sexual harassment. You had to learn to play with the big boys. Sara had also noticed Jim's glances.

"What's good here?" Sara said motioning to the menu.

"Everything." Bonham said. "The appetizer platter has everything.."

"Spicy?" Jim questioned

"You like spicy?" Bonham raising and eye brow and smiling a little.

"Sometimes." He answered fully engaging in this little flirtation. Sara glanced from Jim to Kate.

"Sounds good to me." Sara agreed "Didn't you say you had a contact you had here that could help us?"

Sara's voice betrayed the edge she was feeling. She wondered why she even cared that Brass was checking this woman out.

"Done." Kate said and nodded toward the bar. Behind the bar a man was on the telephone.

"So what do you think of the Big Easy so far?" Bonham asked.

"Smells bad." Sara replied.

"It's the river and drunks. Great city, but its easy to get lost here. That might be a problem for you two." Kate said as the food arrived. "What about you, Brass ?"

"The heat and humidity, hot and sticky…." another grin. Sara stood up abruptly and looked around for the restroom. It was obvious that Sara was pissed.

"Was it something I said?" Jim asked as she walked to the back of the café.

"Tell her." Kate said taking a sip of tea

"Tell her what ?" Jim sighed.


	4. broken glass

Before Jim and Bonham could continue the conversation, Bonham's cell phone range. She talked for a few minutes. Sara returned from the restroom, Jim tried not to meet her eyes.

"Out guys at Sally's" Bonham said as she closed her phone and motioned for the check. She walked to the bar and retrieved her coat and gun. The man at the bar handed her a note.

Jim and Sara followed her out the door and headed to lot and their car.

"Oh not we gotta hoof it. Our car's been made. It's easier to walk in the Quarter anyway."

Jim and Sara looked miserable at the prospect of walking in the heat. Both were soaked with sweat before they had gone two blocks.

The cops reached the edge of the Quarter and crossed over a busy street. Sara noticed they were in front of a large walled cemetery. The signed let her know it was St. Louis Cemetary. The signed also warned that the cemetery was dangerous and the city was not responsible for happened to a person insisd the cemetery.

"This area used to be the red light district. Storyville. Now it's mostly public housing. Very dangerous. The cemetery is even dangerous."

Jim noticed the drug dealers and runners loitering on the steps of the red brick buildings. Everywhere he looked he saw danger. Even worse he felt danger. This city oozed it. Bonham strode down the street unaware of he companions discomfort.

She knew what you couldn't see in New Orleans was far more dangerous than what you could. This was still a superstiouse city.

They stopped in front of at dilapidated brick stet up. Two men suntered over to Bonham. She questioned them and handed one the note she had been given at the bar.

"Who's that?" Brass asked

"They've been here all day. He hasn't left all day. I imagine he's running out of money. My contact say's he'll trying to pick up a card game. There is always a game floating around here. We gotta get him now.

One cop left to find the card game, the other went around back. She used her radio to alert all unit in the area to stay put until her order.

"How are we gonna play this?" Brass asked.

Bonham stood thinking. Then her eyes snapped and she smiled. "Play along, keep your guns in their holsters."

Bonham knocked on the door. An older woman with poorly dyed red hair answered the door. She was clutching her nylon robe shut with one hand and took a drag off her cigarette with the other.

"Yeah?" she said. Sara wondered if this was the accepted form of greeting in this city.

"Hey, We heard we could get some action here?" Bonham said

"Who sent you here?" she narrowed her eyes.

"I work over at Bally's . Casino host, I got a couple of tourist here, come on, Wally told me you could fix them up." She woman opened the door and nodded for them to enter.

Jim put his arm around Sara. She stiffened "This is not funny" she thought.

The red head eyed Jim and Sara.

"You like 'em young, huh. Nervous honey." the old woman cackled a little.

"Takes all kinds." Jim said.

Follow me. Hope you got cash, cause we don't take travelers checks." the madam laughed again.

As they headed up the stairs, the woman turned and looked at Bonham.

"Why you coming?"

"He like to watch." Sara said quickly.

"Then why are you here, you could get a room at….." as the woman spoke, Bonham took out her badge and put her fingers to her lips. She pulled out a photo of their suspect. The woman pointed to the third door on the right.

"Sara take her downstairs and don't let her out of your sight." Brass said. He and Bonham drew their weapons and walked to the door. Bonham kicked open the door with a shout.

"NOPD! Up get up don't try anything stupid."

The suspect grabbed the skinny woman and held her as a shield and walked backward.

'Come on, don't be stupid." Brass said to the man

Perry Hart was clad only his boxers the girl was naked. She looked like a kid and she was screaming. Brass and Bonham were shouting for Hart to let her go. The chaos and tension in the room was building. Hart considered his options and stepped backward again and turned. He pushed the girl through the window and fell after her.

Brass and Bonham rushed to the window just in time to see Hart jump up. The cop in the back yard headed to him, gun drawn. Hart looked like a wounded animal. As the officer moved in, Sara burst through the back door. The officer turned his attention toward Sara, this gave Hart the opportunity to run. He took off through the hedge that separated the yards. The officer cursed and ran after the suspect.

Jim and Kate holstered their weapons and went to the backyard. The madam followed, nagging them about the window.

"Shut up, make a claim with the city." Kate shouted, exhausted and frustrated. "What is the deal with your support people. I thought you said she knew how to handle herself?"

Jim didn't have an answer. He had no idea why Sara had rushed into the back yard.

In the backyard, Sara was standing over the young prostitute. The other cop was on his radioand approached Bonham.

"Det. The girls dead, he used her to cushion the fall. It's not that far, but the impact could have broken her neck. We'll know when the coroner gets here. I got a call that the suspect is headed toward Dauphine St."

"Okay get some people on it. Call our people in to clear the scene and cover her as soon as possible." Kate said.

Brass confronted Sara. " Why did you come out? What were you thinking? We had the guy."

"I heard the window break, I didn't think I just reacted."

"Sara, I brought you with me to watch my back. We are guests of this PD. You know how we would feel if they came into our jurisdiction? I just need you to do your job."

"What is my job here exactly?" She had wondered why she had been assigned to this case. "Crime scene work was not needed. We knew the suspect. We just had to come get him."

"I trusted you not to get…." Brass was interrupted by Sara

"Not to get in your way. That's why you didn't bring one of the guys. Be a good girl and do as I am told." Sara was getting angerer with each word

Bonham inserted herself between the two.

"Our CSU people are coming, your case just became a problem here" She motioned to the dead girl. "We need to give our statements. Sara, you will need to work with our lab people to link these cases."

The yard began to fill up with CSU, coroner and other detectives. Sara walked over and confirred with the CSU.

Bonham caught up with Sara. "You thought it was him?"

"What?" Sara looked at her

"The window, you thought Brass went out the window?" Kate saw the look on Sara's face.

"How did you know?" she said quietly.

Rookie reaction, thinking your partner in trouble and try to help."

"I am not a rookie and …." Kate held up her hand to stop Sara.

"You are not a cop. There is a big difference between wht I do and what you do. Sara began to protest. " I know you guys get into some dangerous situations sometimes, but Brass and I have gotten used to knowing when to react and not react. We have learned to follow orders!" Kate and Sara were eye to eye, but Sara's voice was little above a whisper. "You will be on the next plane out of here and your suspect will rot in a Louisanana Prision if you put this investigation at risk again."


	5. tell her

Brass watched as Bonham walked to the alley behind the whorehouse. He approached as the lit up a cigarette.

"Don't you think you were a little rough on her?" He said, waving the smoke out of his face.

"We had him!" she said blowing more smoke , but this time up and away from Jim's face

"You know why she did it."

"She didn't listen." Bonham dropped her cigarette and ground it our with her boot heel.

"I am just wound up. You know how this feels, the adrenaline, the rush. I am also pissed off. I got pulled of a major organized crime case to work this one. The other case was the first real case I had been assigned since making detective. As soon as this came up I got switched. This screw up probley got me pushed back to a desk, pushing papers."

"What do you want from me" Brass asked

"You don't have a clue. I had to fight and claw my way into this rank. There are only a half a dozen females with my rank or higher in this force. I have been called bitch, cunt and dyke so many times I don't even notice it anymore."

"You must piss off everybody your around with that attitude."

"Yeah, anyone with a set of balls. You guys hate it that we want to run around with guns and chase the bad guys."

"You don't know me." Brass said glancing back at Sara. "She's not a cop but she is a good CSI and she…"

"You got a thing for her, typical. Were you hoping to get her out of town, make her feel needed. Yeah, I think I know you."

Jim's face told the whole story and Bonham was a good enough detective to read his face.

"It's not just a thing. You really care about her. Hey, I'm sorry and she thought you had gone through that window." Kate's voice sounded softer.

Jim nodded at her apology. He felt just as keyed up, but his experience had taught him to handle it better.

"Bringing her here was not a great idea, but I think in the back of my mind, oh hell."

"Tell her. It's simple tell her." Kate put her hand on Jim's shoulder.

"Not that simple." He kept glancing back at Sara as she worked with the other investigators

"Come on afraid of a little rejection?"

"I have to work with her in the real world."

The phone rang and Kate spoke for a few minutes.

"He's on the move up near Bourbon St." She said heading back to the house.

"A big black man in his boxers should be easy to find." Jim laughed

"You'd think so, but in this town, who knows."

Perry Hart had now committed murder in Louisiana. The NOPD officially took over the bulk of the investigation. The NO DA assured Brass that the state would extradite Hart back to Nevada. The DA knew that the state would not want to use funds prosecuting the death of a 16 year old prostitute. The DA knew that there was a better chance at justice in Nevada where Hart was wanted for rape and 3 counts of murder.


	6. this kiss

Jim and Sara sat at the table, in the restaurant recommended by Det. Bonham. Sara sipped her wine and looked around. The food was wonderful and the wine Jim had ordered was perfect.

"This city is so different from anywhere I have ever been." She said. "Like a different world."

"It reminds me of Europe." Jim remarked

"You've been to Europe. I didn't know that." Sara said surprised, sipping more wine.

"There are a lot of things about me that might surprise you, Sara."

"Like what?" the wine was warming Sara. When the waiter approached to refill their glasses, Jim shook his head no discretely.

He knew the wine and good food had loosened her tongue and relaxed her mind, so he needed to be on guard.

"Nothing much, I'm pretty much an open book, what you see is what you get."

"I don't think so, Jim. I think there's a lot underneath your sarcasm and attitude that I don't see."

Sara knew that Jim watched out for her. He didn't just look at her, he saw her. He listened to her and noticed when things disturbed her. Sara had always been attracted to men that mentored her. Her first real relationship had been with her English tutor in college.

She tended to seek out men that would not emotionally commit. Grissom had been that way, only giving her enough to keep her wanting more. She wasn't even sure if Grissom was fullyaware of her reaction to him. Sara realized that nothing could develop between the two of them. She could have given her soul to Gil, they were so alike in so many ways. Gil would always keep something back. Grissom needed someone that would forgive his lack of complete surrender.

Sara looked at Jim with fresh eyes.When he smiled it was honest and clear. You could watch his eyes for his moods. Sara had seen those eyes in almost every situation. Cruel, angry and menacing in the interrogation room. Twinkling and crinkling, joking with the team. You could see every year on his face, it was weather-beaten and that attracted her.

Jim watched Sara's face react to her thoughts and wondered what was going on in her head.

"Let's go for a walk." he suggested.

The evening had cooled a little, and a breeze was blowing off the river. As they walked along the river walk, Jim navigated through the crowd putting his hand on the small of Sara back from time to time. Sara thought about her reactionto his glances and flirtation with Kate. Why did she care, would she have cared if Warrick or Nick had flirted with the detective. She was tired and the wine had gone to her head.

They ended up in Jackson Square in front of St. Louis Cathedral. It glowed white in the darkness. The humidity still hung in the air. Sara was wearing her jeans and a white linen shirt. Jim had simply abandoned his jacket and tie and rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows.

Jim and Sara sat on a bench and watched the locals and tourists. Sara leaned forward to watch a group of extremely drunk women walk by laughing. Jim stretched out his legs and put his arms on the back of the bench. He hated to admit how exhausted he was becoming.

"Just like home." Sara turned laughing at the women. "I bet they will be saying 'What happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans' by the end of the night."

"Just like home." He echoed and his eyes crinkled in a way that could only be described as sexy.

She leaned back not minding that his arm was touching her shoulder. Strands of her hair blew in the breeze, Jim's free hand brushed them back behind her ear. An unexpected chill ran up Sara's spine.

"Oh." she simply said and turned to him. "We've had a busy couple of days."

"Yeah." he said drawing his arm tighter around her shoulder.

"Are you as exhausted as I am?" she put her head on his shoulder. He lightly kissed her hair.

"I haven't slept in days." he admitted.

Sara wondered if she could just sit like this for a while. She wanted to sit and figure out what was happening. Was she really sitting with Jim Brass, feeling so at peace. The arms around her were not the ones she would have predicted would give her such peace. The lips on her hair were not the ones she thought should be kissing her. The interesting part was how right this felt.

Sara turned and looked at Jim. He love that crooked smile.

Jim took her face in his hands and kissed her. A sweet soft kiss, but something was wrong. She was pulling away from him. Had he moved to fast. He thought this was what they both wanted, but it wasn't him.

Standing behind Sara was Perry Hart. He held a gun at her side and was pulling her up from the bench.

"I hope I ain't interrupting anything, but I need you two to come with me. I've been following you two all night. It's been sweet, but now it's gotta end."

"Buddy, you don't want to do this, okay?" Jim began and Hart pushed the gun further into Sara's side.

"Come with me and don't try nothing." Hart snarled. "I'll kill her, I don't care, what have I got to lose."


	7. the end

Jim could see the dangerous looking .38. It was rammed into Sara's side.

Just as Jim was reacting, a group of tourists, on a night time tour of the city, were meeting at the steps of the church.

"She's going with me. Don't try to follow us." Perry snarled as he turned and pushed Sara into the crowd.

"Jim, Jim….." he heard Sara shout.

Jim reached to his ankle for his back up weapon. It was also a small .38. Jim palmed the gun, he followed, ducking behind people when ever Perry looked over his shoulder. Jim knew how to follow someone without their knowledge. He saw Sara stumble a few time. He knew she was just buying time.

"Smart girl." He thought. The stumbling helped him track the duo better. He dialed Det. Bonham's number. She answered on the first ring.

"Bonham." the background was loud.

"Brass. Hart has Sara."

"Where are you?" the noise lessoned as if she stepped into a quieter room

Jim checked the street signs. "Pirate Alley?"

"Behind the Cathedral. Okay, I'm on Bourbon, checking out a DOA. Keep talking, read the street signs, I will move in and intercept them. I'm assuming he's packing."

"Yeah, she's slowing him down, I don't think he'll try anything in this crowd."

"They can really get lost if he makes it to Bourbon."

Jim kept his eye on Perry and Sara and continued to rely his location to Bonham. She had found a couple of beat cops and had them with her. Sara and Hart were slowly being closed in on by the New Orleans cops on one side and Jim on the other.

Bonham and her people spotted Hart and Sara and at the same time Hart spotted the cops. He pulled his gun from Sara's side and aimed it at the detective. The first shot missed and the crowd on Bourbon Street scattered. Some hit the pavement. Others ducked into the various doorways on the street. A few took photo graphs. One of the beat cops shot at Hart and missed. Hart returned fire in the direction of the beat cop. Sara took this moment to jerk away from Hart's grasp. Sara an for cover.

Jim aimed his gun at Perry Hart's back. The two beat cops had the murderer in their sites as well. Bonham drew a bead on him. Hart knew he was dead. He had a decision to make and all of the cops knew what was running through his mind. How many of them would he try to take with him. Which one would he try to aim for and kill. Before he could make up his mind, his body jerked forward with the shot from Brass's gun and almost simultaneously jerked backward with the shots from the beat cops. His face exploded in a mist of blood and brain when the shot from Bonham's .45 hit him.

Sirens rang out in the night. Crime tape was strung around the scene and the police tried in vain to keep the curious away. Sara and Jim sat on a curb nearby, watching the activity.

"I will need statements from the two of you, but I think it can wait until morning." Kate said. Jim and Sara stood.

"How early?" Jim asked knowing all he wanted to do at this point was sleep. Kate noticed how exhausted he looked.

"How about lunch?" she answered. He looked at his watch. It was only 11:30. He could have sworn the incident had taken hours instead of minutes.

"That was too easy." Sara said. "What was he trying to prove."

"He wasn't trying to prove anything. He was stupid. He had been lucky until tonight and he just pushed his luck." Kate said. "You were lucky, too. If he had been faster or I had not been on the DOA case he could have killed you."

"Sara was smart." Jim added. "She didn't let him get far, The stumbling slowed him down. You knew his MO."

"Yeah, I assumed he had to find a safer place than the street to kill me." she said.

"This situation is going to be a bitch to clear up. Three of our cops and one Vegas cop in a shoot out on Bourbon Street over a kidnapped Vegas crime scene investigator. The papers will have a field day with this. Oh great here comes our chief." Kate walked up to a distinguished black man.

The chief looked at the body as it was strapped on the gurney. He shook his head.

"Girl, you will do anything for my attention." he walked over to where they stood. "You must me the cops from Las Vegas. I hope we can get this cleared up and you can go home soon"

Jim knew that was a nice way of saying the chief wanted them to get out of town ASAP.

"Thank God it was some scumbag rapist, but three shots to the body and blasting his head off was over kill. I will deal with the storm, but I want you to take some time off starting now!" the chief said and as Kate began to protest he stopped her. " I assume you all have surrendered your weapons. I want you three out of this scene. I don't have to tell any of you to keep your mouths shut."

Jim and Sara stood in the same spot for a few moments.

"What's wrong?" Kate asked

"I don't have a clue how to get back to our hotel" Jim laughed.

"Look, why don't we get a drink. I know I could use one." Kate said

"No, I just want to get some sleep." Sara said knowing a drink would be the worst thing for her at this moment.

"Okay where are you staying?" Kate asked and Jim gave her the name of the hotel.

"No problem it's near my apartment. We can share a cab." They had to walk a few blocks off Bourbon to catch the cab. Jim's head turned as they walked passed a night club playing some excellent jazz. Kate noticed.

"Come on one drink, a little Jazz? I am too wired to just go home." she led them to the club.

"No." Sara said raising her hand hailing a cab. "I just want to sleep."

The cab pulled up. Jim looked from Sara to Kate. He opened the cab door and got in after Sara. Kate turned and walked into the club.

Jim and Sara did not speak as they walk down the corridor to the suite. The moment they had shared earlier had practically been forgotten. Jim unlocked the door, Sara walked in and headed to her room. The suite shared a common living area and two rooms opened into it. Jim slipped off his shoes. Sara walked back carrying a bottle of champagne.

"This was in my room." she held it up. Jim pointed to the champagne cooling in the ice bucket near the couch. He looked puzzled. On the neck of this bottle was a note.

Hope you enjoyed dinner. The Commanders Palace is always a treat. Top off the evening with a nightcap. Kate Bonham. P.S. Tell Sara I am sorry for being so hateful at the scene. (an apology bottle in in her room)

"This would have been nice two hours ago." Sara remarked. Remembering the scene on the park bench. Jim was thinking the same thing.

"Are you okay?" He looked at her

"You ask me that a lot you know."

"I worry about you. You want to talk about what happened?"

"No I want to open this bottle and have a drink"

He opened the bottle and poured two glasses. 

"We should toast. Seems appropriate." she held up her glass.

"To going home" he said

"To one more night here." she said.

THE NEXT MORNING

Sara rolled over and saw Jim standing at the window. He was wearing a hotel bath robe. She wondered how he was able to stand the sunshine. Her head throbbed. This feeling was one of the reasons she had quit drinking. Jim noticed her eyes on him. He put a finger to his lips in a gesture of silence and pointed to his head. She understood immediately. She unsteadily got out of bed, wrapping the sheet around her nude body.

Jim closed the curtain to the morning sun. He walked to Sara, but did not touch her.

"What happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans?" he whispers

"No way." Sara whispers back and opens the sheet and steps to his open arms.


End file.
